Therapeutic apparatus



Dec. 21, 1937. H. B, DRQLUNGER 2,102,790

THERAPEUT I C APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1954 'NRM/5mg ATTORNEY.

"3 each of the electrodes, so as to protect the patient Patented Dec.271, 1937 i f i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS HowardB. Drollinger, South Pasadena, Calif. Application August 20, 1934,Serial No. 740,693 10 Claims. (Cl. 12S-1.5)

This invention is a therapeutic apparatus, and Figs. 2 and 3 aresections on the lines 2-2 has for its object to provide an extremely simand 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1. ple and compact assembly whereby anelectric Fig. 4 is a Wiring diagram. current may be supplied to apatient for elec- The electrotherapeutic appliance comprises a 5trotherapeutic treatment, or an electric coil may pair of electrodes Iwhich are adapted to be apbe applied to the patient, e. g. for thermaltreatplied to a. patient and which are terminals for ment, or theelectrotherapeutic appliance and the an electric Circuit which isCompleted through electric coil may be conveniently used at the same thebOdy 0f a patient and Whieh may be energized time. y by usualcommercially available alternating sin- 10 More particularly it is theobject of the inusoidal current, such as 50 or 60 cycle, 110 volt loVention to provide an electric coil having a usual current supplied fOrdOnleStiC uSeS- supply cable which may be readily plugged into Avariable resistance is provided in the circuit a Source of current forcompleting a circuit for the electrodes, and is arranged as a so-calledthrough the coil, with lead wires for electrodes potentiometerresistance, ie. the terminals 2-3 l5 adapted for quick-detachableplugging into the 0f its IeSiStOr 4 are COIineCted by lead WireS 5 0 15casing of the coil for connection to the electric to a supply circuit,and the adjustable contact circuit so that current may be supplied to o,1 of the variable resistance is connected by wires patient via theelectrodes, and with a resistance 3-30 t0 One 0f the eleCtrOdeS l, WhileWires 9-902 for the circuit through the electrodes housed lead from theterminal 3 of the resistor to the 20 within the casing of the electriccoil. By plugother electrode l. By this shunt arrangement 20 ging in thesupply cable at a usual outlet box, of the resistance, the supplycircuit may apply the electric coilis thus adapted for use with or afixed potentiel difference between the termi- Without using theelectrodes, depending upon nalS 2-3 0f the IeSiStOrI and any desiredinwhether or not the lead wires for the electrodes termediate potentialvdiierenoe may be obtained' o5 are plugged into the casing of theelectric coil, between the terminals 'l-3 fOl regulating the 25 and byplugging the lead wires for the electrodes Current Whieh iS Supplied t0vthe bOdy 0f the into the casing of the electric coil, Current maypatient via the shunt circuit which includes the be supplied to apatient Via the electrodes and electrodes. Y

at the same time the electric coil may be used or A iiXed resistance ispreferably provided in this not as desired, with the electric coil, ineither shunt circuit and npreetiee this resistance e0m- 3o event,providineaconvenient connection for supprises o resistance element l0 ineach of the plying current to the electrodes and also proe Wires 8-9, soas to protect a patient and the viding a convenient support for theresistance apparatus against eXeeSSiVe Current resulting which isincluded in the electrode Circuit, from accidental contactof either ofthe elecvide a variable resistance for the electrode cir- In practicether variable resistance may proeut whereby any desired potential may beap- Vide a maximum resistance of from 15,000 to plied to the electrodes,With the variable resist- 25,000 Ohms, and the I'eSiStanCeS l0 may beeach o ance mounted in the casing for the electric coil, 0f 2i000 Ohms,S0 that When lead Wires 5-5 are .4o and having its adjusting meansprojecting to connected to usual commercially supplied sinuo theexterior of the casingwhere it is readily ac- Soma] alternating current0f 110 Volts the our' cessible. Y rent passing through the patient viarelectrodes It is a still further object of the invention to I may beregulated to provlde any deslred our' rent within the range oftherapeutic value. provlde a' xed resistance m the Wlre lea'dmg to Theelectrotherapeutic appliance is arranged '4o whereby its parts may beconveniently supported and the apparatus against excessive current reandit may be readily Connected to a source of Sumng from the accdentaflcontat of either of current, and the arrangement is preferably such theelectrodes or the patient with a grounded that the electrotherapeuticappliance may be 50 Conduction l t optionally used in connection with ausual elec- 50 Further oblects of the invention will bevreadlly triccoil. The electric coil is shown as having a understood from thefollowing description of the eamo projecting from its casing whereby itmay accompanying drawing, in Whieh be connected to a usual outlet boxfor commer- Fig. 1 is a plan View of the apparatus, partly clallysuppliedV electric' current, and preferably 35 broken away. i i housesthe variable resistance for the electro- 55 5 It is a further object ofthe invention to protrodes or the patient With a grounded conductor. 35

therapeutic appliance, and has sockets on its casing whereby the WiresBa-Ba for the electrodes I may be readily plugged in. The electric coilmay thus be applied to a patient for any desired purpose, e. g. thermaltreatment, with the wires Sar- 9a disconnected when it is not desired touse the electrotherapeutic appliance, and also provides convenient meansfor plugging in and using the electrotherapeutic appliancereither aloneor at the same time that the electric coil is applied to a patient. ,Y

As an instance of this arrangement an annular electric coil I I may behoused within a flexible casing I2, and is preferably of a size wherebyit may encircle a leg or the neck, and is preferably attened incross-section at diametrically opposite points A A as shown at Fig. 3,so that Vit may be conveniently placed against Various parts of the bodyor laid upon by the patient. A cable I 3 projects from the casing I2 andat its outer end has a usual Contact plug I4 which is adapted forquick-detachable connection with a usual outlet box (not shown), such asordinarily provided in homes and o'ces for supplying A. C. for lightingand domestic purposes. 'Ihe wires I5 I6 of the cable are connected tothe terminals of coil I I; and the variable resistance for theelectrotherapeutic appliance is mounted Within the casing I2 and isshunted across the wires I5 I6 by means of Wires 5 6, with the terminals1 3 of the variable resistance con- Y nected by the Wires 8 9 Vtosockets I'I' which project from the casing I2 and which are adaptedV forquick-detachable engagement by cooperating pins I 8 at the ends of thewires 8a 9a. The resistances IU are preferablyhoused within the casingI2 and are inserted in the respective lead wires 8 9. The electrodes I,which are connected to wires 8a 9a, may be supplied in different sizesand shapes adapting them to be readily grasped in the hands orconveniently applied to any desired part of the patient.

The variable resistance for the electrotherapeutic appliance may becontained within a usual cylindrical housing 20 which is mounted incasing I2 and which has an axially projecting operating shaft 2|vprojecting outwardly beyond the casing I2. The strands of the annularcoil II extend around the housing 20 and its projecting shaft 2|, withthe shaft preferably enclosed in an insulating bushing 22. When Windingthe coil II its strands may be wound around a core (not shown) extendingradially through the annular coil and which is removed after the coil isWound so as to provide a radial opening through the coil in which thehousing 20 Aand its projecting shaft ZI with its insulating bushing 22are then inserted; and the strands of the coil are compressed snuglyaround theV housing 20 and the bushing 22, as shown at Fig. 2, so as tomaintain an approximately cylindrical cross-section of the electric coilat diametrically opposite points B B which 'are in quadrature Vto thepoints A A. 'Ihe coil may thus be ilattened out at the points A A toproduceY the desired cross-sectional contour as shownV at Fig. 3, withthe casing 20 embedded in the vcoil adjacent one of the points B where asubstantially circular cross-section is maintained. A knob 23 lforadjusting the Varialole'resistanceV is xed on the projecting end of theshaft 2| at the exterior of casing I2, preferably by a set screw 23a.

The invention thus provides a convenient and compact therapeuticapparatus, Ywhich when the pins I8 are disengaged fromV sockets I1provides an electric coil of usual construction adapted to be pluggedinto a usual Ycurrent outlet box by means of cable I3, for use of thecoil in usual manner, e. g. thermotherapeutic treatment, by applying itto the body of a patient. By inserting the pins I8 in the sockets I1 theelectrodes I may be used for electrotherapeutic treatment, with theelectric coil used or not at the same time, and with the electric coilproviding a convenient means for connecting and supporting theVelectrotherapeutic appliance, and with any circuit which is completedthrough one or both of the electrodes, protected by the resistanceswhich are provided in the respective wires leading to the electrodes.

I claim: v

1. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body ofa patient, a contact plug adapted for quick-detachable connection to anoutlet box for sinusoidal alternating electric current, conductorsleading fromV the contact plug to the coil, a variable resistancemounted in the coil and comprising a resistor Vand a cooperatingadjustable contact, an operating shaft for the adjustable contactprojecting tothe exterior' of the coil, the resistor being shuntedacross the conductors, sockets at the exterior of the coil, conductorsleading from the adjustable contact and from one terminal of theresistor to the respective sockets, a resistance in each of the lastmentioned conductors, said resistances being mounted in the coil, pinsadapted for quick-detachable engagement with the sockets, conductorsVleading from the respective pins, and an electrode connected to` eachof said last mentioned conductors.

2. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body ofa patient, means for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, avariable resistance mounted in the coil and connected to the electriccircuit, conductors leading from Ythe variable resistance and projectingoutwardly beyond the coil, a resistance in each of the conductors, saidresistances being mounted inthe coil, and an electrode connected to eachof the conductors.

3. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body ofa patient, means for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, aVariable resistance mounted in the coil and connected to theelectric'circuit, conductors leading from the variable resistance andprojecting out- Vwardly beyond the coil, and an electrode con nected toeach of said conductors. i

4. In combination, anelectricrcoil adapted to be applied to the body ofa-patient, ymeans for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, avariable resistance mounted inthe coil and connected to the electriccircuit, and means for completing a shunt circuit through the variableresistance and through a patient.

5. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to thebody ofa patient, means for connecting the coil in anelectric circuit, aVariable resistance mounted in the coil and shunted across the electriccircuit, means for 4completing a shunt circuit through the variableresistance and through a patient, and a resistance in said trodes withthe electric circuit, for use of the coil with or without the electrodesand for use of the electrodes with or Without using the coil.

7. In combination, an electric coil comprising a coiled Wire, a flexiblecasing enclosing the coiled wire, the enclosed coiled wire beingflattened in cross-section at approximately diametrically oppositeportions so as to increase its area of contact with any surface uponwhich it rests, the enclosed coiled Wire being substantially circular incross-section at approximately diametrically opposite portions Which areapproximately at right angles to its flattened portions, conductors forthe electric coil projecting to the exterior of the enclosed coiledWire, a variable resistance for the electric coil, ay housing for thevariable resistance and a bushing projecting therefrom, the housing andbushing being embedded between strands of the coiled Wire at one ofthose portions of the enclosed coiled Wire which is substantiallycircular in cross-section, with the bushing extending to the flexiblecasing, an operating shaft for the variable resistance projecting fromthe housing through the bushing to the exterior of the enclosed coiledWire, the Variable resistance comprising a resistor and .a cooperatingadjustable contact mounted Within the housing, the resistor beingshunted across the conductors, conductors leading from the adjustablecontact and fromv one terminal of the resistor, the last mentionedconductors projecting to the exterior of the enclosed coiled Wire, aresistance in ,each of said last mentioned conductors embedded `betweenstrands of the coiled wire, and an electrode connected to each of thelast mentioned conductors at the exterior of the enclosed coiled wlre.

8. Means for portably mounting an electric coil and a pair of electrodesfor selective use, comprising a coiled Wire forming an electric coil,conductors for the electric coil projecting to the exterior of thecoiled wire, a variable resistance for the electric coil, a housing forthe variable resistance embedded between strands of the coiled wire, anoperating shaft for the Variable resistance projecting from the housingto the exterior of the coiled Wire, the Variable resistance comprising aresistor and a cooperating adjustable contact mounted Within thehousing, the resistor being shunted across the conductors, conductorsleading from the adjustable contact and from one terminal of theresistor, the last mentioned conductors projecting to the exterior ofthe coiled wire, a resistance in each of said last mentioned conductorsembedded between strands of the coiled Wire, and an electrode connectedto each of the last mentioned conductors at the exterior of the coiledWire.

9. Means for portably mounting an electric coil and a pair of electrodesfor selective use, comprising a coiled Wire forming an electric coil,conductors for the electric coil projecting to the exterior of thecoiled Wire, a Variable resistance for the electric coil, the variableresistance being embedded between strands of the coiled Wire, means foroperating the Variable resistance projecting to the exterior of thecoiled Wire, the

variable resistance being shunted across the conductors, conductorsprojecting from the Variable resistance to the exterior of the coiledWire, a resistance in each of said last mentioned conductors embeddedbetween strands of the coiled wire, f

HOWARD B. DROLLINGER.

